’HaveyouanyideawhereMissWadeistobefound？’
’Totellyouthetruth，’returnedMrMeagles，’it’sbecauseIhaveanaddledjumbleofanotiononthatsubjectthatyoufoundmewaitinghere。Thereisoneofthoseoddimpressionsinmyhouse，whichdomysteriouslygetintohousessometimes，whichnobodyseemstohavepickedupinadistinctformfromanybody，andyetwhicheverybodyseemstohavegotholdoflooselyfromsomebodyandletgoagain，thatshelives，orwasliving，thereabouts。’MrMeagleshandedhimaslipofpaper，onwhichwaswrittenthenameofoneofthedullby-streetsintheGrosvenorregion，nearParkLane。
’Hereisnonumber，’saidArthurlookingoverit。
’Nonumber，mydearClennam？’returnedhisfriend。’Noanything!
Theverynameofthestreetmayhavebeenfloatingintheair；for，asItellyou，noneofmypeoplecansaywheretheygotitfrom。
However，it’sworthaninquiry；andasIwouldrathermakeitincompanythanalone，andasyoutoowereafellow-travellerofthatimmovablewoman’s，Ithoughtperhaps——’Clennamfinishedthesentenceforhimbytakinguphishatagain，andsayinghewasready。
Itwasnowsummer-time；agrey，hot，dustyevening。TheyrodetothetopofOxfordStreet，andtherealighting，divedinamongthegreatstreetsofmelancholystateliness，andthelittlestreetsthattrytobeasstatelyandsucceedinbeingmoremelancholy，ofwhichthereisalabyrinthnearParkLane。Wildernessesofcornerhouses，withbarbarousoldporticoesandappurtenances；horrorsthatcameintoexistenceundersomewrong-headedpersoninsomewrong-headedtime，stilldemandingtheblindadmirationofallensuinggenerationsanddeterminedtodosountiltheytumbleddown；frowneduponthetwilight。Parasitelittletenements，withthecrampintheirwholeframe，fromthedwarfhall-dooronthegiantmodelofHisGrace’sintheSquaretothesqueezedwindowoftheboudoircommandingthedunghillsintheMews，madetheeveningdoleful。Ricketydwellingsofundoubtedfashion，butofacapacitytoholdnothingcomfortablyexceptadismalsmell，lookedlikethelastresultofthegreatmansions’breedingin-and-in；and，wheretheirlittlesupplementarybowsandbalconiesweresupportedonthinironcolumns，seemedtobescrofulouslyrestinguponcrutches。
HereandthereaHatchment，withthewholescienceofHeraldryinit，loomeddownuponthestreet，likeanArchbishopdiscoursingonVanity。Theshops，fewinnumber，madenoshow；forpopularopinionwasasnothingtothem。Thepastrycookknewwhowasonhisbooks，andinthatknowledgecouldbecalm，withafewglasscylindersofdowagerpeppermint-dropsinhiswindow，andhalf-a-
dozenancientspecimensofcurrant-jelly。Afeworangesformedthegreengrocer’swholeconcessiontothevulgarmind。Asinglebasketmadeofmoss，oncecontainingplovers’eggs，heldallthatthepoultererhadtosaytotherabble。Everybodyinthosestreetsseemedwhichisalwaysthecaseatthathourandseasontobegoneouttodinner，andnobodyseemedtobegivingthedinnerstheyhadgoneto。Onthedoorstepstherewereloungingfootmenwithbrightparti-colouredplumageandwhitepolls，likeanextinctraceofmonstrousbirds；andbutlers，solitarymenofreclusedemeanour，eachofwhomappeareddistrustfulofallotherbutlers。TherollofcarriagesintheParkwasdonefortheday；thestreetlampswerelighting；andwickedlittlegroomsinthetightestfittinggarments，withtwistsintheirlegsansweringtothetwistsintheirminds，hungaboutinpairs，chewingstrawsandexchangingfraudulentsecrets。Thespotteddogswhowentoutwiththecarriages，andwhoweresoassociatedwithsplendidequipagesthatitlookedlikeacondescensioninthoseanimalstocomeoutwithoutthem，accompaniedhelperstoandfroonmessages。Hereandtherewasaretiringpublic-housewhichdidnotrequiretobesupportedontheshouldersofthepeople，andwheregentlemenoutofliverywerenotmuchwanted。
Thislastdiscoverywasmadebythetwofriendsinpursuingtheirinquiries。Nothingwasthere，oranywhere，knownofsuchapersonasMissWade，inconnectionwiththestreettheysought。Itwasoneoftheparasitestreets；long，regular，narrow，dullandgloomy；likeabrickandmortarfuneral。Theyinquiredatseverallittleareagates，whereadejectedyouthstoodspikinghischinonthesummitofaprecipitouslittleshootofwoodensteps，butcouldgainnoinformation。Theywalkedupthestreetononesideoftheway，anddownitontheother，whattimetwovociferousnews-
sellers，announcinganextraordinaryeventthathadneverhappenedandneverwouldhappen，pitchedtheirhoarsevoicesintothesecretchambers；butnothingcameofit。Atlengththeystoodatthecornerfromwhichtheyhadbegun，andithadfallenquitedark，andtheywerenowiser。
Ithappenedthatinthestreettheyhadseveraltimespassedadingyhouse，apparentlyempty，withbillsinthewindows，announcingthatitwastolet。Thebills，asavarietyinthefuneralprocession，almostamountedtoadecoration。Perhapsbecausetheykeptthehouseseparatedinhismind，orperhapsbecauseMrMeaglesandhimselfhadtwiceagreedinpassing，’Itisclearshedon’tlivethere，’Clennamnowproposedthattheyshouldgobackandtrythathousebeforefinallygoingaway。MrMeaglesagreed，andbacktheywent。
Theyknockedonce，andtheyrangonce，withoutanyresponse。
’Empty，’saidMrMeagles，listening。’Oncemore，’saidClennam，andknockedagain。Afterthatknocktheyheardamovementbelow，andsomebodyshufflinguptowardsthedoor。
Theconfinedentrancewassodarkthatitwasimpossibletomakeoutdistinctlywhatkindofpersonopenedthedoor；butitappearedtobeanoldwoman。’Excuseourtroublingyou，’saidClennam。
’PraycanyoutelluswhereMissWadelives？’Thevoiceinthedarknessunexpectedlyreplied，’Liveshere。’
’Issheathome？’
Noanswercoming，MrMeaglesaskedagain。’Prayissheathome？’
Afteranotherdelay，’Isupposesheis，’saidthevoiceabruptly；
’youhadbettercomein，andI’llask。’
They’weresummarilyshutintothecloseblackhouse；andthefigurerustlingaway，andspeakingfromahigherlevel，said，’Comeup，ifyouplease；youcan’ttumbleoveranything。’Theygropedtheirwayup-stairstowardsafaintlight，whichprovedtobethelightofthestreetshiningthroughawindow；andthefigureleftthemshutinanairlessroom。
’Thisisodd，Clennam，’saidMrMeagles，softly。
’Oddenough，’assentedClennaminthesametone，’butwehavesucceeded；that’sthemainpoint。Here’salightcoming!’
Thelightwasalamp，andthebearerwasanoldwoman：verydirty，verywrinkledanddry。’She’sathome，’shesaidandthevoicewasthesamethathadspokenbefore；’she’llcomedirectly。’
Havingsetthelampdownonthetable，theoldwomandustedherhandsonherapron，whichshemighthavedoneforeverwithoutcleaningthem，lookedatthevisitorswithadimpairofeyes，andbackedout。
Theladywhomtheyhadcometosee，ifshewerethepresentoccupantofthehouse，appearedtohavetakenupherquartersthereasshemighthaveestablishedherselfinanEasterncaravanserai。
Asmallsquareofcarpetinthemiddleoftheroom，afewarticlesoffurniturethatevidentlydidnotbelongtotheroom，andadisorderoftrunksandtravellingarticles，formedthewholeofhersurroundings。Undersomeformerregularinhabitant，thestiflinglittleapartmenthadbrokenoutintoapier-glassandagilttable；
butthegildingwasasfadedaslastyear’sflowers，andtheglasswassocloudedthatitseemedtoholdinmagicpreservationallthefogsandbadweatherithadeverreflected。Thevisitorshadhadaminuteortwotolookaboutthem，whenthedooropenedandMissWadecamein。
Shewasexactlythesameaswhentheyhadparted。justashandsome，justasscornful，justasrepressed。Shemanifestednosurpriseinseeingthem，noranyotheremotion。Sherequestedthemtobeseated；anddecliningtotakeaseatherself，atonceanticipatedanyintroductionoftheirbusiness。
’Iapprehend，’shesaid，’thatIknowthecauseofyourfavouringmewiththisvisit。Wemaycometoitatonce。’
’Thecausethen，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’isTattycoram。’
’SoIsupposed。’
’MissWade，’saidMrMeagles，’willyoubesokindastosaywhetheryouknowanythingofher？’
’Surely。Iknowsheisherewithme。’
’Then，ma’am，’saidMrMeagles，’allowmetomakeknowntoyouthatIshallbehappytohaveherback，andthatmywifeanddaughterwillbehappytohaveherback。Shehasbeenwithusalongtime：
wedon’tforgetherclaimsuponus，andIhopeweknowhowtomakeallowances。’
’Youhopetoknowhowtomakeallowances？’shereturned，inalevel，measuredvoice。’Forwhat？’
’Ithinkmyfriendwouldsay，MissWade，’ArthurClennaminterposed，seeingMrMeaglesratherataloss，’forthepassionatesensethatsometimescomesuponthepoorgirl，ofbeingatadisadvantage。Whichoccasionallygetsthebetterofbetterremembrances。’
Theladybrokeintoasmileassheturnedhereyesuponhim。
’Indeed？’wasallsheanswered。
ShestoodbythetablesoperfectlycomposedandstillafterthisacknowledgmentofhisremarkthatMrMeaglesstaredatherunderasortoffascination，andcouldnotevenlooktoClennamtomakeanothermove。Afterwaiting，awkwardlyenough，forsomemoments，Arthursaid：
’PerhapsitwouldbewellifMrMeaglescouldseeher，MissWade？’
’Thatiseasilydone，’saidshe。’Comehere，child。’Shehadopenedadoorwhilesayingthis，andnowledthegirlinbythehand。Itwasverycurioustoseethemstandingtogether：thegirlwithherdisengagedfingersplaitingthebosomofherdress，halfirresolutely，halfpassionately；MissWadewithhercomposedfaceattentivelyregardingher，andsuggestingtoanobserver，withextraordinaryforce，inhercomposureitselfasaveilwillsuggesttheformitcovers，theunquenchablepassionofherownnature。
’Seehere，’shesaid，inthesamelevelwayasbefore。’Hereisyourpatron，yourmaster。Heiswillingtotakeyouback，mydear，ifyouaresensibleofthefavourandchoosetogo。Youcanbe，again，afoiltohisprettydaughter，aslavetoherpleasantwilfulness，andatoyinthehouseshowingthegoodnessofthefamily。Youcanhaveyourdrollnameagain，playfullypointingyououtandsettingyouapart，asitisrightthatyoushouldbepointedoutandsetapart。Yourbirth，youknow；youmustnotforgetyourbirth。Youcanagainbeshowntothisgentleman’sdaughter，Harriet，andkeptbeforeher，asalivingreminderofherownsuperiorityandhergraciouscondescension。YoucanrecoveralltheseadvantagesandmanymoreofthesamekindwhichIdaresaystartupinyourmemorywhileIspeak，andwhichyouloseintakingrefugewithme——youcanrecoverthemallbytellingthesegentlemenhowhumbledandpenitentyouare，andbygoingbacktothemtobeforgiven。Whatdoyousay，Harriet？Willyougo？’
Thegirlwho，undertheinfluenceofthesewords，hadgraduallyriseninangerandheightenedincolour，answered，raisingherlustrousblackeyesforthemoment，andclenchingherhanduponthefoldsithadbeenpuckeringup，’I’ddiesooner!’
MissWade，stillstandingathersideholdingherhand，lookedquietlyroundandsaidwithasmile，’Gentlemen!Whatdoyoudouponthat？’
PoorMrMeagles’sinexpressibleconsternationinhearinghismotivesandactionssoperverted，hadpreventedhimfrominterposinganyworduntilnow；butnowheregainedthepowerofspeech。
’Tattycoram，’saidhe，’forI’llcallyoubythatnamestill，mygoodgirl，consciousthatImeantnothingbutkindnesswhenIgaveittoyou，andconsciousthatyouknowit——’
’Idon’t!’saidshe，lookingupagain，andalmostrendingherselfwiththesamebusyhand。
’No，notnow，perhaps，’saidMrMeagles；’notwiththatlady’seyessointentuponyou，Tattycoram，’sheglancedatthemforamoment，’andthatpoweroveryou，whichweseesheexercises；notnow，perhaps，butatanothertime。Tattycoram，I’llnotaskthatladywhethershebelieveswhatshehassaid，evenintheangerandillbloodinwhichIandmyfriendhereequallyknowshehasspoken，thoughshesubduesherself，withadeterminationthatanyonewhohasonceseenherisnotlikelytoforget。I’llnotaskyou，withyourremembranceofmyhouseandallbelongingtoit，whetheryoubelieveit。I’llonlysaythatyouhavenoprofessiontomaketomeormine，andnoforgivenesstoentreat；andthatallintheworldthatIaskyoutodo，is，tocountfive-and-twenty，Tattycoram。’